Grate structure for retorts and the like



April 5, 1932. R B, P ER GRATE STRUCTURE FOR HETORTS AND THE LIKE Filed July 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 3, 1932. R, B, PARKER GRATE STRUCTURE FOR RETORTS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1923 idwm 351 abtomm k iii Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD :e. PARKER, or SKANEATELES, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T'o SAMUEL E. DARBY, or rALIsAnE, NEW JERSEY, AS TRUSTEE GRATE STRUCTURE FOR RETORTS AND THE LIKE Application filed July 24,

This invention relates to improvements in grates for use in retorts for treating coal, shale, and other fuels in which the fuel is continuously fed to the retort and the residue continuously removed from the grate.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a combination of elements including a grate and a cutter bar for oscillation over the surface thereof.

A further object of this invention involves mechanism for use on structure of the above type by means of which the cutter bar is oscillated over the grate surface.

A more general object of this invention involves a construction of the above type by means of which the residue on the grate surface may be more easily and effectively removed therefrom in a substantially continuous manner.

Another object of this invention involves an association of elements of this nature which is relatively simple in construction, rugged and efficient in operation. 7

Another object of this invention is the provision of structure of this general type in which the cutter bar and operating arms therefor are provided with passages there through by means of which a cooling medium may be circulated through the cutter bar to keep it cool.

Another object of this invention is the provision of operating mechanism for the cut-- ter bar, most of which is outside of the retort and hence the heat zone which, as would be apparent, would tend to destroy the mechanism and reduce its efficiency.

These and other objects, as will beapparent from the following disclosure, are secured by means of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement, and relative location of parts, all as will be set forth in considerable detail below.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view 1929. Serial No. 380,552.

through the base of a retort to which this invention has been applied showing the rela tive association of elements;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the device taken at right angles to the view in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of this structure Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of this structure; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view with some parts broken away of the arrangement by means of which the cutter bar is kept cool.

In at least one process now known in this art by means of which coal, shale, and similar fuels are treated in a retort for the purpose of producing gas, oil, and coke the material being treated is supported within the retort in the form of a relatively deep bed which bed is slowly and continuously advancing downwardly through the retort. In order to secure this movement of the fuel sufficient fuel is continuously added to the top of the bed and the residue formed at the base, where the zone of combustion is, is more or less continuously removed from the grate surface which supports the bed by the movement of a cutter bar over the surface of the grate which oscillates back and forth to force the residue first from one side of the grate and then from the other side of the grate.

A number of structures of this nature have been provided butit has been found in practire that they have some defects which it is desired to overcome. The purpose of this invention is to improve the grate, cutter bar, and operating mechanism by means of which more efficient removal of the residue is effected and a more rugged structure is provided. By means of this arrangement the greater part; and particularly the most delicate part, of the mechanism is outside of the heat zone so that it cannot be affected thereby.

Reference will 110w be made to the drawings wherein a clear disclosure is made. The base or foundation of the retort is shown at l which supports the retort, a portion of which has been indicated at 2. The top of the foundation is provided with an opening which exposes the top of the grate surface to the interior of the retort and permits it to support the fuel bed which extends upwardly into the retort. The foundation or support, as is clearly shown in the drawings, is hollow and serves to house the grate, cutter bar, and operating mechanism. A metal casing of any suitable construction is shown at 4 arranged around the opening 3 so as to en.

close the grate. An extension of this casing 4; comprises the conical member 5 which has an opening at the bottom for the purpose of collecting and delivering the residue after it is removed from the grate.

The foundation is provided with large bearings 6 in which a shaft 7 is journalled. Secured to the shaft 7 in spaced relation are the large heavy collars 8 which I extend through the members a and 5 at the point where they unite to make a complete casing. Extending from the upper surface of the collars 8 are the arms 9 which support their outer ends the cutter bar 23. Depending from the collars 9 are the arms 10 having the forked ends 11 which are operatively connected to the nuts 12 which are inthreaded engagement with the rotatably threaded shafts 13. As shown in Fig. 2 the threaded shafts 13 are rotatably mounted in thebearing supports 1 1 and are provided with the worm wheels 15. The worm wheels 15' engage with the worms 16 secured to the rotatable shaft 17 journalled in the beari gs 18. The bearings 18 are supported by the member 19. The shaft 17 also has a large gear 20 secured thereto which meshes with the small. driving gear 21 on the shaft of driving motor 22-. 7

It is to be noted that arms 10, nuts 12, shafts 13, worm wheels 15, worms 1 6, shaft 17, gears 20 and 21', and the motor 22 are exterior to the casing and removed from the heat zone of the retort so that they are not substantially affected thereby. This construction involves an important principle of this invention. Thegrate is shown at 24: and its upper surface is in arcuate form, as is clear from Fi 2. It is, of course, apparent that the grate may comprise a number of individual grate bars or, in fact, may be embodied in any construction characterized, however, bythe curved upper surface. 7

The grate bars are supported by means of the members 27, 26, and 25 in" any suitable manner from the foundation. The shaft 7 is mounted at the center of the arcuate curve forming the upper surface of-the grate bars so that as arms 9 oscillate back and forth about its center the cutter bar 23 moves over the surface of the grate. The grate is provided at its ends with the small projections 27 which serve to retain the fuel on the grate surface and prevent undesired flow thereof over the edges of the grate.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the operative connection between the forked ends of levers l0 and the nuts 12 is shown. Pivotally mounted on the sides of the nut 1:2 on trunnions 31 are the guide blocks 30. These guide blocks 30 have slots on two surfaces thereof in which the forked ends 11 of the'arms'lO may slide. Thus as nut 12 moves back and forth over the surface of threaded shaft 13 the blocks 30 may rotate on the trunnions 31 and the forked ends 11 may slide in the grooves thereof so i that there will be no binding action and the apparatus will operate smoothly.

The arrangement by means of which the cutter bar is cooled is clearly shown in Fig. 6. The shaft 7 is shown journalled in the bearings 6 secured to the support 1. The collar 8 is clearly shown secured to the shaft 7 and having the integral arms 9 and 10. The casing comprising the parts a and 5 is shown making a substantially airtight joint with the collar 8 by reason of the packing ring 33 set in an annular groove in the collar 8. The shaft 7 is shown with a central longitudinal duct 35 extending a short distance therethrough and having a short duct extending at right angles to the surface of the shaft. This duct 35 is in communication with the duct 3d extending through arm 9 and the collar 8 at a point which coincides therewith. The cutter bar is shown hollow having'the passage 36 therethrough and is supported in the free end of arm 9 so that the passage 36 is in communication with the duct 34. It is, of course, apparent that the construction at the other end of shaft 7 is exactly similar to this so that cooling fluid may be passed through duct35,duct'34:, and passage 36-to the correspondingducts 34 and 35 in the arm 9 and other end of shaft 7. Of course it will be necessary to provide some form of reversing switch for the motor so that the threaded shaft may be rotated first in one direction and then'in the other to cause the cutter bar to oscillate. Such arrangements are old and well known in the art and since they form no part of this inventionthey have not been disclosed. 7

From the foregoing disclosure it will be apparent that the apparatus described em bodies the objects of this invention and the principles thereof asset forth at the beginning of this disclosure. I am, of course, well aware that many changes in the details ofc on- V device illustrated for purposes of disclosure but rather to the scope of the invention as it is defined in the appended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination comprising a curved grate, a movable cutter bar above said grate, an oscillatable shaft supported at the center of the curved surface of said grate, connections between said shaft and said cutter bar, a casing over all of said elements, means exterior to said casing and connected to said shaft for oscillating it including a threaded rotatable shaft exterior to said casing, a nut on said threaded shaft adapted to move back and forth over the surface thereof, and connections between said oscillatable shaft and said threaded shaft by means of which said cutter bar is made to move back and forth over the surface of said grate.

2. In an apparatus as described, the combination comprising a retort, a grate support at the base of said retort, a casing for said grate, a shaft extending through said casing, a cutter bar for movement over the surface of said grate, arms within said casing secured to said shaft and said cutter bar, forked arms secured to said shaft external of said casing, and means operatively connected to said forked arms for causing the oscillation of said shaft and hence the movement of said cutter bar over said surface of said grate.

3. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination comprising a curved grate, a hollow cutter bar for movement over the surface of said grate, an oscillatable shaft, connections including hollow arms between said shaft and said cutter bar, said hollow arms being in communication with the interior of said cutter bar, and means for oscillating said shaft, said shaft having passages in the ends thereof in communication with the passages in said arms whereby a cooling P fluid may be caused to flow through said cutter bar.

l. A combination of the type described comprising a grate having a curved upper surface, a hollow cutter bar for movement over the surface of said grate, a casing for said grate, a shaft extending through said casing, connections including hollow arms between said shaft and cutter bar, means exterior to said casing for moving said shaft and connections exterior to said casing be tween said means and said shaft for oscillat- Eng said cutter bar over the surface of said grate, said shaft having passages in the ends thereof in communication with the passages in said arms whereby a cooling fluid may flow through said cutter bar.

5. In a construction as described, the combination comprising a grate having a curved surface, a shaft journalled below said grate, arms on said shaft, a cutter bar connecting depending arms for oscillating the shaft and cutter bar connected thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 1st day of Jul A. D. 1929.

RICHARD B. ARKER. 

